Mass Effect: Reanimation
by BlackScleraCyanIris
Summary: This story is an altered version of the control ending of Mass Effect 3. In this adaptation, Shepard will be able to live on in corporeal form again, and return to the woman he loves. This will also explain what he does with the Reapers after they have repaired the damage they caused.
1. A difficult choice

Hello there. It's me again. I decided to take a break in writing Mass Effect: Opposition, and write this. This is Mass Effect: Reanimation. This is my own alternate ending to Mass Effect 3. Even though I'm not the first person to do this, I decided to do it anyway.

Basically, this story is centered on the Control Reapers ending. The key difference from the game is that Shepard does not lose his body, at least not permanently. He soon gets a new one, but I'll let you read about how on your own. I mainly wanted Shepard to have a happy ending with Tali, but in the game, the only way Shepard survives is to destroy all synthetic life. NOT COOL!

So I decided to modify the Control ending a bit. Hope you like it. I don't expect this story to be too long. This first chapter is basically about the firing of the crucible. More will come later.

I do not own Mass Effect, Bioware does. This is purely fan fiction, although you probably already know that.

One further addendum; while this story does not focus on the Irakagei like my previous two stories, they will still be in this one. When I write Mass Effect fan fiction, the Irakagei will always be a part of it in some way or another.

"The paths are open, but you have to choose."

An injured Shepard looked from the holographic avatar of the catalyst, which took the appearance of the child that he saw die when the Reapers hit Earth. He turned his attention to the Crucible.

Ahead of him lay his choices. At the end of a walkway to his right sat a power conduit. If Shepard shot that conduit, then the Crucible's energy would destroy the Reapers, along with every other synthetic life form.

At the end of the walkway on his left sat a pair of sparking conduits. If he gripped those conduits, then Shepard's mind would be transferred to the Citadel, allowing him to gain control over the reapers. His body, however, would not survive the process.

Directly ahead of him, at the end of the walkway that Shepard stood on was a bright beam of energy. If Shepard jumped into that beam, then his essence would be broken down and dispersed throughout the galaxy. This would transform both organic and synthetic life, giving each aspects of the other. This process would also kill Shepard.

_This is a difficult choice. _

Shepard carefully considered his choices.

If Shepard destroyed the Reapers, then the Geth would be destroyed as well, along with EDI.

After a moment's pause, Shepard spoke to the Catalyst.

"I won't destroy the Reapers at the cost of the Geth. If I did that, then I would be proving you right. I don't want organics and synthetics to be enemies anymore."

"If you will not destroy us," the Catalyst said, "Then what will you do?"

Shepard looked back and forth between the synthesis beam, and the electrical conduits. Whichever of those two he picked, he would die.

_Either way, I won't be able to be with Tali anymore._

This thought sent a wave of sadness and anger over him. After this war was over, all Shepard wanted was to live a peaceful life with the Quarian he loved. His death would also bring Tali a great deal of sadness, a state that he hated to see her in.

Shepard began limping forward. His injuries made it difficult to walk. As he moved forward, Shepard tossed his pistol off of the walkway. He would not need it. After several slow steps, Shepard halted. He now stood beside the ramp that would take him to the left walkway.

The Catalyst had walked with him. It stood patiently beside him.

Shepard looked at the bright beam of energy ahead of him. He was not so sure about merging organic and synthetic life. If he did that, then he would be taking away everything that made both types of life unique.

If Shepard chose to control the Reapers, he could direct them to repair the damage that they caused. He could also use them to protect the galaxy.

After several long minutes, Shepard made his choice.

The injured soldier turned and began limping his way up the ramp that led to the electrical conduits.

"So," the Catalyst said, "You have chosen to control us."

"Yes," Shepard replied, "While this "synthesis" may be the final evolution of all life, I would rather let the other races achieve it on their own terms."

Shepard stopped in front of the conduits.

_So, this is it._

All Shepard could think about now was the woman whom he was leaving behind.

"No matter what you choose," said the Catalyst, "You will never see her again."

Shepard turned and glared at the holographic child. He was shocked that the AI knew of his relationship with Tali. He almost asked how it knew, but decided that it really didn't matter.

Shepard turned his head back to face the conduits again. He was hesitating; his mind was racing, trying to think of a way he could survive this.

No matter what he thought of, he could not think of a way to live through it. The more he thought of it, the angrier he got.

He was close to exploding with rage, but an idea dawned on him.

Shepard turned again to address the Catalyst.

"So if I control the Reapers, I will also gain all of their knowledge?"

"You will," the Catalyst replied, "but you will likely lose your sense of individuality."

Shepard just smiled at the small hologram.

"No, I won't."

Shepard turned back to the conduits, and walked up to them. With a strange mixture of confidence and hesitation, Shepard began to reach for the two handles in front of him.

Shepard grasped the right handle first. Energy began surging through his body. He quickly took hold of the other handle, causing more energy to surge through him.

A burst of blue energy emanated from the conduits, which enveloped Shepard's body. Electricity arced all over him as he began to break down.

The pain of the energy surge almost brought Shepard to his knees, but he quickly regained his footing.

"Damn it," he groaned through gritted teeth.

Shepard's mind was being uploaded to the Citadel as his body slowly disintegrated. With a newfound resolve, Shepard clung to the two handles, enduring the pain.

_I will see her again. _

As Shepard's mind uploaded into the Citadel, the Catalyst's hologram silently faded away behind him. The former master of the Reapers was gone.

With a final surge of energy, Shepard's body degraded and vanished.

Shepard's mind was overwhelmed with information and knowledge. Information and memory from every Reaper flooded his psyche. His final thoughts of Tali were the only thing keeping his sense of who he was intact.

The energy beam that flowed between the Crucible and the Citadel suddenly surged, increasing in intensity. An intense blue light emanated from the giant space station.

"The Crucible's armed," Admiral Hackett said on all channels, "Disengage, and head for the rendezvous point."

All around Earth's orbit, the ships of various species broke away from the Reapers, and headed away from the Human home world.

A massive blue shockwave of energy shot from the Citadel. As the wave spread out, the fleets began accelerating to FTL speeds away from Earth in every direction.

Every Reaper that was enveloped by the blue energy immediately fell under Shepard's control. With little more than a thought, he commanded the gigantic machines to stand down and cease aggression.

It was not long before the energy wave hit the Charon mass relay. Energy rapidly built up within the relay's mass effect core, causing its gyroscopic rings to spin faster and faster.

The relay then shot a pulse of blue energy through the rest of the mass relay network. The energy released inflicted heavy damage on the Charon relay, as well as every other relay that the energy reached.

The Crucible's energy soon spread out across the Milky Way Galaxy, bringing every Reaper under Shepard's control.

As quickly as it had begun, the fighting ceased. Every race across the galaxy rejoiced as the Reapers left their worlds.

The mind of every Reaper was connected to Shepard's psyche. He could see what they saw and hear what they heard. The strongest machines in the galaxy were now under his control.

Shepard immediately began directing the Reapers to rebuild what they destroyed. They obeyed every order without question.

That's the first chapter. I will later write about how he gets a new body, and what he does with his new "pals."


	2. Rebuilding

**In chapter 2, a few days have past. Shepard is directing the Reapers to rebuild. At this point, the **_**Normandy **_**is still stranded on the tropical planet from the end of the game. While the Reapers rebuild and the **_**Normandy**_** is under repair, Shepard and Tali work hard, determined to return to one another.**

_There are so many minds. There's so much information._

Shepard couldn't believe the wealth of knowledge that the Reapers possessed. He fully understood everything they knew.

The Reapers were spread out across the galaxy. With a thought, Shepard could see through the eyes of any Reaper he chose, and even direct it to do what he said. He was currently looking through _Harbinger_, the oldest Reaper, as well as the largest. _Harbinger _was on the surface of Earth, near the transportation beam in London that led to the Citadel. Shepard was directing it to help clear away the rubble from destroyed buildings.

_Harbinger_ was the very first Reaper ever created, made from the processed bodies of millions of large creatures known as the Leviathans. The Leviathans were the first apex race of the Milky Way Galaxy, its original rulers. They were the creators of the Catalyst, who, in turn, created _Harbinger,_ along with the rest of the Reapers.

_Harbinger _was also the Reaper who directed the Collectors to abduct human colonists after _Sovereign's _destruction. When things got ugly for the Collectors, _Harbinger_ would possess a Collector drone and lead the fight personally.

_Not fun, is it big guy?_

Shepard switched his view to a Reaper destroyer working on a mass relay in the Argos Rho cluster. Through its sensors, Shepard could see dozens of Reapers standing on the surface of the relay, moving the largest pieces into position.

Shepard switched his view again to a Reaper husk on the relay's surface. The Reapers were directing the husks to repair the smaller pieces of the relays, as well as to carry away small pieces of rubble and dead bodies from devastated worlds.

Shepard was pleased that the Reapers could not tire out. Ever since he uploaded his mind into the Citadel, Shepard has been directing them to work almost nonstop. He has also been directing them to search for the _Normandy_. Since the Crucible fired, no one has seen his ship, or any of its crew.

Admiral Hackett reported that the _Normandy_ was last seen passing through the Charon Relay, heading to the Arcturus system. Shepard sent Reapers there to look for his ship and crew, but they were not at Arcturus.

Evidently, the firing of the Crucible interrupted the_ Normandy's transit_. His ship was likely stranded somewhere between Sol and Arcturus. He knew that it was possible that his ship was destroyed and his crew was dead.

_They're alive! I know it._

Shepard changed his view once again to look through the eyes of a Keeper located deep within one of the Citadel's wards. The Keeper was looking at a large incubation tube.

Within the tube was a clone of Shepard's body. It was slowly being assembled by Reaper nanobots. Thousands of tiny robots assembled pieces of organic and synthetic matter into a new body.

In order for Shepard to use this body, He would have to link his consciousness with it from the Citadel. In order to do that, Shepard needed to have cybernetic implants installed into his clone's flesh. A particularly large implant was housed in its brain, which provided the link between the body and the Citadel via quantum entanglement.

With this new body, Shepard would be able to interact with the physical world again. He would soon be able to feel, smell, see, hear, and taste again, just like he used to.

_I will be able to hold Tali again._

The thought of his Quarian lover was what drove him. He was determined to find her again.

_I know you're out there Tali. I won't leave you alone._

"ACHOOO!"

"Whoa," Chief Engineer Adams said, "Gesundheit!"

Tali consulted her translator for the meaning behind Adam's statement. While the Quarian engineer knew English well, she still needed a translator for the other languages that the Humans spoke.

Tali's translator indicated that Adams was speaking a Human language called German. Apparently, he was saying, "bless you."

"Thanks," Tali said with a sniffle.

"That came out of nowhere," Engineer Daniels said, "You don't have a hole in your suit, do you Tali?

"No, I don't," Tali answered, "I checked the damn thing several times. It was just a sneeze."

Tali was busy repairing the _Normandy's_ engines. The Alliance frigate was stranded on an uncharted garden world. Judging from the gas giant that was forever stuck in the sky, the ship crashed on a moon.

Fortunately, the ship was not damaged beyond repair. It would take a few days, but the _SSV Normandy_ would fly again.

And soon, she would be able to return to Shepard.

_Please, please still be alive! I don't want to lose you again!_

Whatever the blue light was that fired from the Crucible, it was transmitted through the Charon mass relay quickly after the _Normandy_ flew through it. Before the ship could reach Arcturus, the light caught up with them and interrupted their passage.

According to EDI's calculations, the _Normandy_ was stranded on a world in the star system that the Human's labeled Xi Bootis. It was a binary star system roughly twenty-two light years from Sol.

After five days, the _Normandy's_ repairs were nearing completion. In just one more day, Tali and the rest of the crew would be able to leave the tropical moon.

"I sure hope the Crucible worked," Tali said to herself, "And I hope that Shepard is alive."

Deep in her heart, Tali knew that her Commander was alive, and she was determined to get the ship space worthy and back to him.


	3. New vessel

**Eighteen hours after the events of chapter 2, Shepard's new body is finally ready, and he's ready to take it for a test drive. Meanwhile, a fleet of Reapers dispatched by Shepard reaches a world that was devastated cycles ago, a world that Shepard has a plan for. I will be making references to my Irakagei in this chapter. To fully understand them, I recommend reading Mass Effect: Seclusion, my first fanfic story, if you haven't already.**

An alert sounded in Shepard's mind, and he switched his view to the Keeper watching over his new body.

_Finally ready._

Within the incubation tube, Shepard's body was complete. It was currently lifeless, awaiting Shepard to upload his consciousness into the implant resting within its brain.

Shepard did a thorough scan of the body's vitals, as well as the functionality of its implants. The analysis took less than two seconds. Everything was ready.

_Time to wake up._

Without a second's hesitation, Shepard uploaded a part of his consciousness into his new vessel. While he would be a physical being again, his actual mind would remain within the Citadel, controlling the body from there. It worked in much the same way that EDI controlled her robotic avatar while she was still technically on the _Normandy_.

For the first time in nearly a week, but what felt like a year, Shepard could feel again. He could feel the fluid within his incubation tube flow over his skin. He suddenly felt the injection tubes feeding him detach from his flesh.

His eyelids were heavy, as they have never been opened before. After a moment's effort, Shepard was able to lift them and see through his new eyes. His nerves jolted as more injection tubes feeding proteins into him detached from his limbs.

_FUCK! It's been a while since I've felt pain!_

Shepard turned his head and looked around the room outside of his tube.

_It's good to see with my own eyes again._

A clank sounded, and the liquid in his tube began to drain. His skin felt cold as the warm fluid left his skin. His body began to shiver.

Once the fluid finished draining, the lid of the tube hissed as its locks loosened and the hatch lifted up. Shepard lifted his arm and pulled a breathing mask from his face. As he took his first steps out the tube, Shepard took a deep breath.

The commander took several steps out of the tube, staggering as he did so. He quickly regained his footing and stood up straight.

The cool air sent chills up his spine, causing goose bumps to form on his skin. Shepard lifted his arms and looked at them. He moved them deliberately in front of his face, eyeing them.

_Now I know how Grunt felt when I first released him from his tank._

Shepard focused his mind and spoke with his voice for the first time in a week.

"It worked. It really worked! I CAN FEEL AGAIN! I'M ME AGAIN!"

Shepard looked around him and spotted a Keeper holding some civilian clothing. Luckily, the Reapers didn't destroy all the buildings on the Citadel when they invaded it and moved it into orbit around Earth. Some of the local stores still stood, including those that sold clothes.

Shepard put on the boxer shorts first, followed by pants.

"Ah, that's better."

He put on some socks and boots, followed by his shirt.

"Now I'm presentable at least."

Shepard clenched his fist and focused, building up a biotic field. He released a biotic burst, hitting nothing. He wasn't trying to hit anything.

"Good. My biotics still work."

He was happy that his new body did not require a biotic amplifier. The Reaper implants throughout his nervous system filled that role.

"Time to see how I look."

Shepard took a long walk and came to a waiting sky car. He activated it and ascended. He didn't take it far.

He landed in a building with a neon sign, displaying alien text.

He departed the shuttle and entered an abandoned nightclub. He headed into the men's room near the back of the club and stopped in front of a mirror. He wanted to see what he looked like with his own eyes, rather than through the eyes of a keeper.

He stared at his reflection, looking himself over.

His new body was nearly identical to his old one. The main difference was that he looked almost a decade younger than he used to. His battle scars were gone as well.

The eyes of his previous body were a dark red color. His new eyes were red as well, but they were lighter in shade, almost a bright vermillion. This was likely due to the cybernetic implants housed within them.

"Time to test my body's new capabilities."

The knowledge of the Reapers was at Shepard's disposal. With it, he created recreated his body, with a few new toys.

Cybernetic implants within his body could manufacture nanomachines that could alter his body's properties in any way he wanted, even down to the genetic level.

The long dead synthetic species known as the Zha'til, who existed during the time of the Protheans, were able to perform a similar feat. When they were harvested, the Reapers took their technology as well. Now Shepard could use the technology on his own body.

With a thought, the implants within Shepard's body began to rapidly assemble nanobots, which quickly spread throughout his body, quickly altering his genetic structure.

Shepard watched his reflection. His skin tone darkened to a brown color right before his eyes. His black hair turned white. With another thought, his hair turned blue.

"Wow," Shepard said with a chuckle, "This is pretty cool."

He mentally commanded his nanobots again, changing his skin tone back to its lighter tone, and his hair back to black. His appearance returned to normal.

Shepard turned and left the bathroom, heading for the nightclub's bar. He moved behind the bar and looked through the various bottles of booze. He selected a bottle filled with an orange liquid.

"Turian brandy. Here it is."

With another mental command, the nanomachines made a slight alteration again, this time changing his amino acid base from levo to dextro.

Once the nanobots settled down, Shepard calmly popped the top off of the bottle, and let the drink breath for a moment.

"Bottom's up."

He took a deep swig directly from the bottle. The brandy tasted similar to a tangerine. After letting his mind process the taste, he swallowed the brandy with an audible gulp.

Shepard waited, waited to see what the Turian booze would do to him. Nothing happened. No allergic reaction of any kind took place.

"Perfect," Shepard said to himself, "This is going to come in handy in the future."

Shepard wanted to change his amino acid base back to normal, although he knew he would have to wait for a few hours for the brandy to pass though his system before he did so.

"Now to test the eyes."

With a thought, Shepard commanded the cybernetics in his eyes to change the frequency of his vision from optical wavelengths to the infrared spectrum. Through his eyes, Shepard could see his arm glowing; a light emanated from the heat of his body.

_Impressive. Now to see the other type light._

His cybernetic implants changed his vision once more, but this time, not into a frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum. This time, he could see into the spectrum of dark energy.

There were very few life forms in the galaxy that could see into this spectrum. The only known beings that could were Element Zero based life forms, the rarest form of organic life in the galaxy. Of the thousands and thousands of species that the Reapers harvested; only forty six of them have been Eezo based.

The only known living species of Eezo based life forms were the Irakagei, whom Shepard had met a little over a month ago. Their help in the war against the Reapers has been a major benefit.

The area around him was dark. Apparently, there was not a massive enough body nearby that could generate sufficient gravity to generate enough light for him to see. Then he remembered that such light could be generated by concentrated mass effect field distortions.

Shepard concentrated a powerful biotic field around his arm.

In the electromagnetic spectrum, mass effect fields manifested as little more than a distortion effect. In this spectrum, however, He could clearly see the dark energy generated by his biotics.

A bright red light surrounded his right arm. He focused his power into a sphere at the palm of his hand. The room around him was illuminated with a dim red light.

"Amazing," Shepard said, "So this is how they see the world."

Another alert sounded in Shepard's mind. He quickly changed his vision back into the optical frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum.

_It seems that they have arrived._

Shepard focused his mind, looking through the eyes of another Reaper.

Through the "eyes" of the Reaper capital ship called _Zolian,_ Shepard could see a small planet rapidly approaching.

After the repair of a mass relay in the Lagoon Nebula, Shepard had _Zolian_ sent to a nearby star system, specifically to the planet directly ahead of it.

The planet ahead was the sight of a brutal invasion. About twelve cycles ago, the race known as the Zolians used the small planet as a shelter against the Reapers. Deep beneath its crust, millions of Zolians attempted to survive the invasion through cryogenic suspension. Through indoctrinated agents, the Reapers discovered their plans and invaded the planet.

A trio of Devastator class Reapers fired powerful singularities into the planet, destroying a large part of its surface, along with the underground bunker buried deep beneath it.

Shepard could see the truth of it for himself. Large debris field thrown up from the bombardment surrounded the planet. A deep, gaping scar took up much of its surface.

The planet's scar was incredibly deep, so deep in fact, that its metallic core was visible; solidified after exposure to the cold vacuum of space.

The Zolians once had a name for this world, a name that Shepard couldn't possibly pronounce. The meaning of the name was "boulder," a reference to the world's rough, rocky terrain.

The planet was the fourth planet of its system, orbiting a single A-class main sequence white star.

_Yes, _Shepard thought, _This planet will do just fine._

Shepard ordered the Reaper to remain in orbit around the planet and record any data on it. With that, he cut the connection to it.

Shepard left the abandoned nightclub and returned to the sky car. He flew back up to the Crucible.

"Alright then, time to open up."

Ever since he uploaded his mind, Shepard has kept the Citadel sealed shut. No one was left on board the Citadel. When the Reapers invaded the station, most of the inhabitants, including the council, were evacuated. The Citadel fleet covered the fleeing ships while a small flotilla of Irakagei warships tried to fight them off.

While the Irakagei possessed warship technology superior to the Reapers, they could eventually be overwhelmed with superior numbers. The Irakagei held them off for quite a while, but they were eventually overpowered, which forced the fleet to leave some inhabitants behind. Those that remained were quickly captured and were either processed or turned into husks.

With a focused mental impulse, Shepard commanded the station's arms to open. He could see a large fleet of Human and Reaper ships orbiting Earth.

A burst of radio noise sounded in Shepard's mind. Admiral Hackett was trying to contact him.

Since he took control of the Reapers, Shepard has been able to communicate with Hackett and the other races via radio link and computer communication. It wasn't the same as actually speaking to them with his voice though.

"This is Hackett," the aged Admiral said, "Commander, are you there?"

"This is Commander Shepard. I'm here, Admiral."

A slight pause followed.

"Shepard," Hackett asked with surprise, "is that really you?"

"It's me, sir. I'm alive again. I'll explain the details to you later."

"I'm glad that you're in one piece," Hackett said, "though I'll never figure out how you keep coming back from the dead."

"I guess that the angel of death just doesn't like me, sir."

"Lucky you. Anyway, I notice that you're opening up the Citadel. What are you up to now, Commander?"

"Nothing really," Shepard answer, "I just wanted to take in the view with my new eyes. I'd still prefer it if the rest of the fleet kept their distance though."

"Understood. I'll keep them clear. I must say, I didn't think that what you did could be done."

"What's that sir? Do you mean my control over them?"

"Of course, Shepard. I thought that the Crucible was meant to destroy the Reapers."

"It could have, sir, but I chose to control them instead. As I said, I'll explain it to you later."

"Whatever you say, Com…Wait a minute."

"Sir?"

"We're receiving a signal from a ship entering the system. It's the _Normandy_, Commander."

Shepard's heart skipped a beat.

_They're alive!_

"Can you patch me through to them, Admiral?"

"You got it, Commander."

A link to the _Normandy_ suddenly opened.

"This is the _SSV Normandy_," Joker's voice said, "Commander, are you there?"

"I'm here, Joker," Shepard said, "Alive and well."

**There's Chapter 3. Stay tuned for the reunion between Shepard and Tali.**


	4. Embrace

**Reunion time! Tali and Shepard return to each other in this chapter. Not much else happens in this one, but don't worry, there's more to come. Keep in mind; I'm coming up with the story as I go.**

Shepard had told Joker to dock the _Normandy_ in its usual place at docking bay D24. Fortunately, it was not badly damaged when the Reapers invaded.

Shepard had reassured Joker that the Reapers were under his control, thanks to the Crucible. Although Joker could see for himself that the Reapers around Earth were not hostile, he couldn't fathom how that worked.

Soon after the _Normandy_ docked, her crew headed out of the airlock and onto the Citadel.

"Goddess," Liara said as she looked at the Citadel's wards out of the docking bay's windows. Many of the buildings still stood, though most, if not all, had taken damage when the Reapers took control of it.

Ahead of the group were a large number of Keepers. Some were working on the station, but many of them were gathering bodies and covering them.

"Wow," Garrus said, "I've never seen so many Keepers in one place.

"This place has seen better days," Joker said.

"Tali," EDI said, "Your heart rate is increasing. Are you suffering an allergic reaction?"

Tali was visibly anxious; she was fidgeting her hands rather vigorously. It was only through EDI's observation that she noticed it.

"Oh," Tali stammered, "No, I'm just…just…"

"I'm sure that the Commander is alright," EDI responded.

"Thank you, EDI," the tense Quarian said.

"What the…" James asked in a whisper to Garrus, who was walking beside him, "Why is Sparks so nervous? She seems…twitchier than normal."

Garrus gave him a look of confusion and amazement, "Where the hell have you been, Vega?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you not been paying attention, muscle head?"

"Paying attention to what?"

"Oh, forget it," Garrus said with an exasperated sigh.

As the group rounded a corner, Javik was suddenly alert.

"Wait," the Prothean said, pointing forward, "Look there!"

The group looked ahead and spotted an unusual Keeper walking towards them.

The Keeper was somewhat larger than the others around it. Its large, bulbous eyes were different as well. They were bright red, rather than the usual black.

The Keeper halted less than a meter in front of the crew of the _Normandy_. It was looking right at them.

"Now this is really weird," Garrus observed, "In all the years I've lived on this station, I've never seen a Keeper look at me, or anyone else."

A voice suddenly sounded from the four-legged bug.

"Well, you've never been much to look at, Garrus."

The whole team (except for EDI) suddenly jumped, taken by surprise.

"Whoa," Alenko exclaimed, "Did that Keeper just talk?"

"I think it did," Garrus affirmed, "and I also think it just insulted me!"

Tali calmly walked to the Keeper, and knelt down, looking into its eyes. Its voice was one she would know anywhere.

"Shepard," she asked calmly, "Is that you?"

"It is, Tali," the Keeper replied, "but it also isn't."

"Whoa," James said, "Loco?"

"Don't worry, guys," Shepard's voice said, "This is not really me. I'm just transmitting my voice through this Keeper."

"So," Tali replied, "are you…?"

"Don't worry, Tali. I'm very much alive. In fact, I'm waiting for you up in the Citadel Tower. This Keeper will guide you to a group of waiting sky cars, which will bring you over to me. I'm waiting in the Council chambers."

"Good enough for me," Garrus said.

"I'll explain everything that has happened when you arrive at the Tower," the Keeper said.

Tali put her hands around the Keeper's head and looked deep into its eyes.

"I can't wait," she whispered tenderly to the bug.

"Nor can I," Shepard's voice whispered back.

_It's really him,_ Tali thought happily.

The Keeper led the group to the sky cars. The team boarded the cars, four to each car, headed for the Tower at full speed.

The ride lasted about three minutes. After her car landed in the Tower, Tali immediately jumped out of it and charged up the stairs towards the council chambers.

"Oh," James said as he watched her take off, "I think I see now."

"You are incredibly slow, Vega," Garrus said as he walked towards the stairs.

Tali halted when she reached the top of the stairs. A wide smile formed beneath her mask as she spotted her Human lover standing on the walkway of the Council chambers, leaning on the handrail. The instant he spotted her, Shepard stood up straight.

Though love-struck, Tali was not blind to Shepard's slightly new appearance. He looked surprisingly younger than she remembered, and his red eyes were a brighter shade. Despite these differences, Tali knew in her heart that this was Commander Shepard.

And she was right.

In no time flat, the eager young Quarian broke into another run towards Shepard. He opened his arms to receive her.

Tali charged into his arms at high speed, almost knocking Shepard off balance. After regaining his footing, he wrapped his arms around her in a tender embrace.

Beneath her mask, Tali began to shed tears of joy.

"Shepard!"

"Tali."

For a long moment, the two lovers held each other tightly. Tali fought hard not to cry with joy.

"Oh," she said, "to hell with it."

She broke the embrace and rapidly removed her mask, exposing her beautiful face to Shepard.

Tali quickly shoved the mask into Shepard's arms, and wrapped her hands around his head. She pulled his face toward hers and passionately connected her lips with his.

Shepard's eyes were wide with both surprise and joy, but they slowly closed as he relaxed in her embrace. He wrapped his arms around her upper back, still holding her mask in his right hand.

Tali's joyful tears began to flow harder the longer she kissed him. Shepard's skin was much softer than she remembered. It was as if he had not just fought a difficult war.

Both Tali and Shepard started to moan with pleasure.

Garrus was the first one to reach the top of the steps. He quickly turned back around when he spotted Tali and Shepard "reuniting."

He quickly motioned the rest of the team to stop and back up.

"It's best that we give those two a couple of minutes," he said.

The rest of the team looked around at each other, and took a few steps down the stairs.

The team ended up waiting for a full six minutes before Shepard and Tali broke off their kiss.

"Amazing," Alenko said.

"What is," Joker asked.

"Members of completely different races," the Alliance Major clarified, "yet those two were made for each other."

**Just a reminder, this is not the end of the story. **


	5. Explanation

After Shepard and Tali had their moment, Shepard rejoined the rest of the crew of the _Normandy_. He spent a full twenty minutes explaining everything that happened after he got to the Citadel. He told them about his and Anderson's final stand off with the Illusive Man, Anderson's death, and his conversation with the Catalyst.

He told the crew how the Crucible worked, and explained the three choices offered to him by the Catalyst.

EDI was the first one to speak.

"You could have destroyed the Reapers and lived," she said with an emotion that sounded like a mixture of surprise and gratitude, "but you refused to…and chose to sacrifice yourself…so that the Geth and I could live?"

"Of course I did EDI," the Commander replied, "I couldn't bring myself to destroy my friends and allies."

"I am grateful, Shepard," EDI said.

"So am I," Joker interjected.

"Yes," Tali said, "and you may have opened the door to peace between organics and synthetics."

"I admit…" Javik said, "I do have a good feeling about the choice you have made, Commander, but if it were my choice, I would have destroyed the Reapers without hesitation."

"Yeah," Shepard retorted, "I figured as much."

"I have to ask, Shepard," Liara said, "What is it like, having the knowledge of thousands of species going back millions of years?"

Shepard considered her question.

"I won't lie and say that is not interesting, and that it is useful," Shepard answered, "although it was certainly painful. When all that information first flowed into my psyche, I thought my mind would be ripped apart, that I would lose my sense of who I was."

The crew listened to him with a sense of awe.

"When I first linked my mind with this body, I felt like my head would split open. It was like…having an incredible hangover."

"Once again," EDI said with disdain, "the magic is gone, just like that."

To her side, Joker chuckled, trying to hold in his laughter.

"Anyway," Shepard continued," my neural implant helped my brain adapt to it."

"May I ask a question, Shepard," EDI inquired.

"You know that you don't have to ask permission, EDI."

"Why did you choose not to merge organic and synthetic life? You said that the Catalyst believed it to be the final evolution of all life, so why not choose that?"

"Because," Shepard answered, "I believed that it would be better for all life to reach that level on their own. That kind of change should not be so…sudden."

"In other words," EDI said, "life should evolve in order be evolved?"

"Something like that."

"Interesting, I think I understand."

"Lucky you," Joker said to EDI.

"It makes you wonder," James said, "what we would have come out looking like if you did choose that, eh Loco?"

"You might have had bodies like …well, mine," Shepard said.

"What do you mean by that," Alenko asked.

"Well, this body is mostly organic, but it is riddled with cybernetic implants."

"So it's just like your old one?"

"Not exactly. The machinery in this body is more…widespread and…"

An idea surfaced.

"You know what? Why don't I show you?"

"Show us…" Joker asked, confused.

Before anyone could ask him to elaborate, the color of Shepard's skin changed before the eyes of his squad.

"What the…" Alenko shouted, "How did you do that?"

"Certain implants within my body," Shepard explained, "allow me to manufacture nanomachines that live inside of me. I can use them to fight disease, heal wounds, and even change my body down to the genetic level."

Shepard's skin returned to normal.

"Just how much could you change," Garrus asked.

"I would imagine anything," Shepard answered, "Hell, before you guys came back, I changed my amino acid base and had a swig of Turian brandy."

Everyone stared at him in stunned silence.

"What else could you do," James asked.

"Like I said," Shepard replied, "anything. I could probably change myself into a Turian if I wanted to. Or maybe a Krogan."

"That might actually suit you, Loco," James remarked.

"Hell," Shepard continued, "I could probably change my gender if I wanted to. Want to see me try it?"

Everyone suddenly signaled "no."

"I'll take your word for it," James said.

"Yeah," Joker agreed, "Come on, Shepard! This is weird enough as it is!"

"Don't have a stroke, you guys," Shepard said, "I was kidding."

"Is this what passes for humor among Humans," Javik asked, more to himself than anyone else.

"Just what were you kidding about," Liara asked, "the part where you can change your gender, or the part about demonstrating it for us?"

"The demonstration," Shepard said, "I could probably do it if I wanted to…which I don't."

"Glad to hear it," Tali said in a humorless tone.

Shepard looked to her and walked up to her.

"Tali," he said softly, "I know that this body is…different, but I hope that it doesn't come between us."

"Shepard," she said firmly, lifting her right hand and placing it on his left cheek, "It doesn't change a thing. Even if you uploaded yourself into a Geth platform, or changed into a Vorcha, I'd love you just the same."

"With that body of his…" Joker began in a low voice, speaking to the rest of the group.

Without looking away from Tali, Shepard lifted his left hand and jabbed an index finger in Joker's direction.

"Quiet, you!"

"Yes, sir," the flight lieutenant responded.

"So what will we do now," Garrus asked, "now that the Reapers are pacified?"

Reluctantly, Shepard looked away from the shining eyes beneath Tali's mask and looked to Garrus.

"Well," Shepard said, "now I'll have to get in contact with the Council and the Alliance, and explain everything to them. I'll probably have to speak with the leaders of every other race too."

"And what of the Reapers," Liara inquired.

"For now, I'm have them repairing the mass relays, and cleaning up the mess that they have made. After that, well…"

"Well..." Alenko asked.

"I'm working on that. I've got a plan, but I'll explain it to you later, when I speak with the other races."

"Whatever you say, Commander," the major replied.


	6. Proposal

**Okay people, here's a little romance for you. This is a short chapter with Shepard and Tali. This is my first real…sex scene. I'm not going to make this too raunchy though. Well…technically, this is the after-sex scene, but it's still romantic. **

Shepard and Tali were in the commanding officer's quarters of the _Normandy_. The two lovers lay on Shepard's bed, both naked and drenched in sweat, catching their breath.

A few hours ago, Shepard got in contact with the leadership of every race, inviting them to the Citadel to explain everything that has happened. The alliance, the Council, and the leaders and representatives of every other Citadel race would be there, along with the Quarian admirals, and the Geth. Wrex and Bakara would be there as well on behalf of the Krogan, a pair that Shepard was looking forward to seeing again.

Even the Batarians would show up, although their leadership was nearly wiped out during the Reaper war. Among others, Shepard suspected that Balak might show up, since he was the highest-ranking military officer in the Batarian fleet. Shepard was not looking forward to seeing him again.

On the upside, however, the Irakagei Empress, Chroa Venshua would be turning up, along with Vei Luka, the Sub-Empress.

It would take at least a day for all of them to turn up. Shepard and Tali decided to use their free time to its full advantage.

Tali was laying on top of her Human boyfriend, her face pressed against his chest. His arms were wrapped around her waist, moving his fingers along her skin.

"Keelah, Shepard," Tali gasped, "I like this…new body of yours…even more!"

"So do I," the Human replied, "Are you ready for round five yet?"

"Shepard," Tali groaned, "Let a girl…catch her breath first."

"I can wait," Shepard replied with a smile.

The couple lay there in each other's arms for several silent minutes, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

"Tali," Shepard whispered, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Once I'm done with the Reapers, I was wondering…"

Tali opened her glowing white eyes and moved her head up, looking into his red ones.

"If you want to…would you…I mean…"

Her eyes started to widen.

_Damn it, Shepard! You stopped the Reapers, and saved the galaxy! So why can't you make a simple proposal?_

Tali's eyes had a look of anticipation. With her chest pressed against him, he could feel her heartbeat climbing.

Shepard took a deep breath and steeled himself. He looked deeply into her eyes.

"Will you…marry me," he asked calmly.

Tali's eyes snapped open even wider, and her heart rate went through the roof. She opened her mouth to speak, but was having trouble putting her thoughts into words.

"Shepard…I…I…wow!"

Shepard just looked at her, patiently waiting for her to find her ability to speak again.

After she calmed herself down, Tali looked back into his eyes, and took a deep breath of her own.

"Yes, Gabriel, I will!"

As a smile formed on the Commander's face, Tali moved up and passionately kissed him.

After she pulled away, she suddenly put on a look of apprehension.

"What's wrong, Tali?"

"Oh, I…well. It's just…Are you sure that I'm right for you? I mean, I can't even have your children, as much as I want to. Are you sure you can live with that?"

Shepard considered her words for a moment, and another idea popped into his head.

"Tali," he said, "two things. One: whether you can have my kids or not, I want you. I want to stay with you, no matter what."

Tears of joy started to build in the Quarian's eyes, and a smile spread over her face. She let out a yelp of surprise as Shepard rolled her over, and was over her, looking down into her eyes.

"However," he continued, "If you want kids, then let me move on to point two: do not forget that with this new body, I can do anything."

Tali's eyes widened again.

"Don't worry, Tali. I won't have to change myself into a Quarian to make it work, but I'm sure that I can make some…adjustments to make my genes…compatible."

Another smile formed over Tali.

"Compatible in what way," she inquired.

"As I said before, I can change my amino acid base easily, and since Human and Quarian DNA is not too different, I can alter my body to produce Quarian-compatible sperm."

"So our children would be Quarian," Tali asked.

"Mostly," Shepard answered, "Although they might inherit something from me, but I'm not sure what."

"Maybe some Human personality traits," Tali suggested.

"That's certainly possible."

"That sounds perfect to me, Gabriel."

"I'm glad to hear it, Tali."

Tali pulled Shepard's face down and kissed him again.

"I love you," she said as their lips parted.

"And I love you," Shepard said softly.

As they began kissing again, Tali suddenly broke it off with a look of concern.

"You haven't already modified yourself, have you," she asked.

"Tali," Shepard replied, "you know that I wouldn't do that without your permission."

"Good,' she said with a satisfied smile. She quickly rolled him back onto his back and climbed on top of him.

"Round five," Shepard inquired eagerly.

"Round five," Tali answered.

**I hope that that was romantic enough for you. The next chapter will be about Shepard's meeting with the leaders of the other races. Stay tuned.**


	7. Meeting

**This chapter takes place on the Presidium, with Commander Shepard talking with the leaders and ambassadors of the various races. This is where Shepard explains his plans for the Reapers in the future. It has to do with that pulverized planet mentioned back in chapter 3.**

Shepard stood in a large swath of grass in the middle of one of the Presidium's many parks. In front of him stood the representatives of the many races of the Milky Way Galaxy.

The three individuals directly in front of him were the remaining members of the Citadel Council. Shepard killed humanity's representative, Donnel Udina, who attempted to seize power by working with Cerberus.

Although Shepard would never admit it, shooting Udina was a satisfying experience.

Shepard's team was standing several meters behind him, observing the meeting.

The remaining leaders of the Batarian Hegemony, including Balak, were standing close by. Shepard could see Balak glaring at him with an obvious chip on his shoulder. Balak's superiors, however, had made it clear to him to keep his temper in check.

Wrex and Bakara were the first ones to show up, being very close friends of Shepard. Grunt, along with several other Krogan, were there as bodyguards.

Surprisingly, the Rachni Queen was there too, along with an entourage of her male brood warriors. That caused a little tension when the other races showed up. Fortunately, the Queen has earned Shepard's trust, along with the Council's, thanks to the Rachni's assistance during the war.

The Quarian Admirals stood nearby with a group of guards as well. Not far from the Quarians stood a pair of Geth Primes along with a pair of rocket troopers as support. Over the course of the Reaper war, the two peoples have become slightly less tense around each other.

Sitting in the branches of a tree near the Quarians and the Geth were the two most powerful members of the Irakagei kratocracy; Chroa Venshua, the empress, and Vei Luka, the sub-empress. They were the only ones there who didn't come with bodyguards.

Shepard's explanation of all that happened certainly took everyone by surprise, although they were relieved that if anyone was to take control of the Reapers, it was him.

Except for Balak, of course.

"Just what do you plan to do with the Reapers now," he asked furiously.

Grothan Pazness, the governor of planet Camala, interjected almost immediately.

"Calm down, Balak! In case you haven't noticed, the Commander has been using them to help rebuild our colonies and home world. If he wanted to use them to finish us, he would be."

"Have you forgotten the Bahak system, Governor? You know what Shepard is willing…"

"NO one has forgotten that," Pazness interrupted, "But after the Reaper invasion, I understand why he needed to destroy the relay. You're just stubbornly holding a grudge."

"But…"

"I hardly think," Venshua said form her tree, "that YOU of all people have any right to complain about the destruction of a colony, Balak."

Balak turned to face the Element Zero based life forms.

"What do you mean?"

"I know what you tried to do to the Human colony of Terra Nova. You didn't think twice about dropping an asteroid on it!"

Balak grumbled with rage.

"I'm not saying," Venshua continued, "that destroying your colony was a good thing, but you should think before you speak."

"To answer your question, Balak," Shepard said, "I'm not planning on turning them on anyone. In fact, the reason I asked for this meeting was to discuss that with all of you."

"Once the relays are repaired," Councilor Valern asked, "What will you do with the Reapers."

Shepard brought up his omni-tool. With a few taps, a large hologram of the Lagoon Nebula was projected above the assembly. A red bracket indicated a lone star system. The image quickly zoomed into the system, and indicated the fourth planet orbiting it. The image zoomed in on the planet.

"Wow," Wrex said, "What the hell happened to that place?"

Before Shepard could answer, the two Irakagei answered the Krogan's question with one word.

"Devastators."

"Exactly," Shepard said.

"The Devastators," Hackett asked, "You mean those Reapers that were harvested from Element Zero based organics?"

"Yes," Shepard said.

"What does this have to do with your plans," Councilor Tevos asked.

It took several minutes, but Shepard laid out his plan. Shepard was going to use the Reapers to build a massive station within the body of the planet. The Citadel would be sealed within the center of the station. Once everything was repaired, the remaining Reapers would be sealed in the station along with the Citadel, and would be put into hibernation.

While Shepard wouldn't use them to intervene with the affairs of the other races, he would awaken them if anything threatened the safety of the entire Galaxy. Hopefully, he would never have to wake them up.

While the Citadel races were initially reluctant to give up the Citadel, Shepard convinced them that they didn't need it.

"Why not just destroy the Reapers when you're done with them," Primarch Victus asked.

"Yeah," Wrex said, "At least we would never have to worry about them ever again."

"After uploading myself onto the Citadel," Shepard explained, "the minds and memories of every Reaper were implanted into my mind. If I destroyed them now, it would truly mean extinction for every race, every nation, that they have harvested. I can't bring myself to do that."

Everyone there accepted Shepard's reasons.

"Once the Reapers are sealed away," Admiral Hackett inquired, "What will you do with yourself?"

Shepard looked at the Alliance Admiral and responded to his inquiry with a rhetorical question.

"What, indeed?"

**Don't worry. This is not the last chapter. The next one will be a time-skip, a few years into the future. It will involve Shepard showing Tali the completed station where the Reapers are being kept. That won't be the last chapter either, just so you know.**

**I admit, that wasn't my best chapter, as it was a rather difficult one. I wanted to put in an argument between Shepard and the other races regarding his plans for the Citadel, but I just couldn't come up with a plausible line of reasoning that would work, so I just decided to skim over it and let the readers use their imaginations.**

**I know that some of you wanted me to have Shepard send the Reapers into oblivion, but I like this better. It's better to have a legion of gigantic killer starships handy, and not need it, than to need a legion of gigantic killer starships, and not have one, at least in my opinion. **


	8. The Boulder

**Chapter 8 takes place three years after the Reaper invasion. The Reapers have repaired the mass relays and helped clean up much of the damage they had caused. Now they are constructing their new home.**

**In this chapter, Shepard takes Tali to the Lagoon Nebula to show her the Boulder, the station constructed deep within the husk of the pulverized planet.**

"Alright, Tali, we're almost there."

Commander Shepard was sitting in the cockpit of a UT-47a Kodiak shuttle. The shuttle was traveling at just above the speed of light.

During the Reaper invasion, the Reapers had quickly analyzed the drop shuttle. Now that Shepard controlled the Reapers, he easily learned how to pilot one.

"How soon," his Quarian wife asked.

"In about ten seconds."

In less than two seconds, Tali entered the cockpit from the cabin, and stood beside Shepard, looking out of the window. Shepard looked to her and admired her beautiful, uncovered face.

Shepard was happy that Tali no longer had to wear her mask. With her consent, Shepard had given Tali implants to help repair her immune system. The implants were built by Reaper nanites injected into the bloodstream, so no surgery was required. After a few months, Tali's immune system was working perfectly.

With Tali's approval, Shepard had also given her a specialized neural implant similar to his own. The implant was recording all of her memories and experiences, and uploading them into the Citadel onto a separate node from his consciousness. If it had been uploaded to his own mind, Tali would have simply become another batch of memories in Shepard's mind. He wanted her to keep her own sense of self.

Sometime in the future, when Tali's mortal body died from old age, or whatever it could die from, the accumulated memories on the Citadel would awaken from a state of "cyber-dormancy." In other words, when Tali's body died, her consciousness would be fully uploaded onto the Citadel with Shepard's. Their minds would be separate, but the two lovers would still be together.

When that happened, Shepard could have a new body constructed for her, with the same capabilities as his had.

As the shuttle decelerated to sub-light speeds, the view out of the window changed from distorted chaos into a calm and normal view of space.

Directly ahead was the Boulder, the pulverized planet that Shepard had told her about. He had given the planet its name in honor of the Zolians' original label for it. Orbiting the Boulder was the Reaper armada.

This was the first time that Tali has seen it in person, so to speak.

It had taken only two months to repair all of the mass relays, although the Irakagei had asked Shepard not to rebuild the mass relay for the Norma Pit. With the development of the mass-free drive, the Irakagei felt that they had no more need for the relays.

It had only taken five months for the Reapers to clean up the mess they made. Although the rest of the races were rebuilding and reconstructing, the Reapers had done all that they could do.

Shepard immediately directed the sentient starships to begin construction of the Boulder station.

The planet ahead of the shuttle has changed in appearance dramatically in only the two-and-a-half years since construction began.

The planet has always been tidally locked to its star, with one side always facing sunward, and the other facing away from it. On the planet's night side, the gaping crater created by the Reapers cycles ago had been completely covered up.

Shepard had directed the Reapers to divert many comets from the system's Kuiper belt towards the Boulder. There, the large fragments of ice were melted down and placed into the hole.

A giant ice cap dominated much of the planet's night side. Beneath the immense frozen field was a large metal covering, which supported the ice.

Most of the debris thrown up from the planet's bombardment had been sent back to the surface. The rest of it had been thrown together to give the planet a tiny moon, which housed a powerful laser weapon.

In an emergency, the powerful laser housed within the moon could be used to sublimate the ice cap, exposing the metal surface beneath it. Housed in the structure was a large door that could be launched clear of the planet. If they were needed in a hurry, the Reapers could wake up and pour out of the opening.

As the shuttle flew closer to the planet, Tali noticed that its rocky surface was dotted with numerous dark spots that did not appear to be natural.

"What are those," Tali asked Shepard, referring to the dark spots.

"Those are entrance ports," Shepard replied, "They are the means of entering and exiting the Boulder's interior."

"They must be gigantic," Tali observed, "to be visible from orbit."

"They have to be," Shepard pointed out, "in order to accommodate multiple Reapers. Each one is about a hundred kilometers in diameter."

The planet was barely three thousand kilometers in diameter.

Shepard began descending the shuttle into the planet's thin atmosphere toward one of the openings.

Much of the Planet's surface was covered by jagged rocky mountains, which wasn't a surprise to Tali, given the beating that it took from the Reapers. When the shuttle approached the lip of one of the openings, a deep, dark tunnel dominated the view. Tali saw a pair of Reaper capital ships emerging from the hole.

Tali's eyes widened with amazement.

"Keelah" Tali said softly, "that is a big tunnel."

"Yeah," Shepard said, "Even I can hardly believe it."

Shepard began descending into the tunnel. With a thought, Shepard commanded the tunnel's lights to activate, so both he and Tali could see the interior.

It took five minutes for the Shuttle to reach the end of the tunnel, three hundred kilometers beneath the planet's surface. The Kodiak entered a gigantic open chamber, where thousands of Reapers continued their construction of the vast, subterranean bunker.

Tali could scarcely believe what she was seeing. It was the largest artificial structure that she had ever laid eyes on.

The shuttle flew close to a large wall, which was honeycombed with many large openings. They appeared to be several kilometers deep.

"Those openings," Shepard explained, "are the docking ports for the Reapers. This is where they will remain for their hibernation."

"I see," Tali said almost breathlessly.

For several minutes, the shuttle flew around the vast chamber. Eventually, Shepard brought them to another tunnel, this one going even deeper into the planet.

"Where does that tunnel go," Tali asked.

"Down to the planet's core, where the Citadel is."

Shepard flew the shuttle into the tunnel, proceeding deeper into the planet.

The Kodiak eventually entered another large chamber, this one visibly smaller than the last one, but still enormous in size. Directly ahead was the Citadel. The station was held in place by several powerful mass effect field generators. A powerful distortion affect surrounded the sealed station.

"This is amazing, Shepard,"Tali said with enthusiasm.

"It certainly is," Shepard replied.

Shepard directed the shuttle towards the Citadel. With another mental command, the hatches at the tips of the Citadel's arms opened up, allowing Shepard to move the shuttle through it.

Many of the Citadel's buildings had been removed, replaced by more Reaper docking ports.

Shepard directed the shuttle to pass one of the ports. It was the only one that appeared to be sealed shut.

"Why is that one closed," Tali asked, pointing to it with her right "index" finger, "Is it occupied already?"

"That's Harbinger's port," Shepard said, "Let's just say I put it to bed early for its smart mouth."

Tali could remember the fights against the Collectors, and how Harbinger annoyed her with its constant taunts and threats. She couldn't help but giggle at Shepard's joke.

"How vindictive of you," She said to Shepard.

"Yes," Shepard said teasingly, "I'm a mean old bosh'tet, aren't I."

"Finally," Tali teased, "you admit that you have a problem."

"Touché," Shepard said.

Shepard flew the shuttle back out of the Citadel and continued the tour. After about half an hour, Shepard began the trip back to the surface.

"Tell me something, Gabriel," Tali said, "I remember that you said that you had the memories of every Reaper, and therefore, of every species that they have harvested."

"Mm-hmm," Shepard affirmed, "What of it?"

"I want to see what you know," she replied, "For instance…"

Tali looked through the cockpit window, and pointed to a Reaper destroyer.

"What can you tell me about that Reaper?"

Shepard looked to the Reaper that she was indicating. He dug through his memories until he found the data on it.

"That Reaper's name is _Gal'fatshi."_

"Named after a race called the Gal'fatshi?"

"Yes," Shepard said, "They were a silicon-based amphibian race. They looked similar to Salarians, only shorter. They also had more eyes."

"Wow," Tali said. She picked out a Reaper capital ship. "What about that one?"

"_Quaniyo," _Shepard answered. "They were a very religious, to say the least. They conquered every race that they encountered. Those that submitted to their faith were allowed to live. Those that didn't…were given a small box of chocolates and allowed to live too."

"Har har," Tali said sarcastically. "You need to work on your routine a little bit."

The shuttle eventually exited the planet's surface and returned to space. Tali spotted another Reaper capital ship.

"Before we leave, what can you tell me about that one?"

"That one is _Honalian_," Shepard answered, "They were an arthropod race, very intelligent. They were infamous for their bio-warfare techniques. Didn't help them when the Reapers showed up though."

"Impressive," Tali said to him."

"Anyhow," Shepard said, "ready to head back to Rannoch?"

"I sure am," Tali said, "I want to be there when the new house is finished."

"So do I, Tali," Shepard said, "I can hardly wait."

**I decided not to give to much detail about Tali's face, so the fans that didn't like Bioware's version of it could use their imaginations and picture her how they like. I will say this however; I liked her face, and that is how I imagine her when I read fanfiction or write it. **

**I have seen many complaints about Tali's face in the game, and I want to give my full opinion on the matter.**

**When I first saw her face while playing the third game, I was surprised, mostly because her face was actually revealed. When I saw it, I immediately thanked whatever deity might exist for two important reasons. One: her face was attractive. Two: she had HAIR:) Long, dark hair:)**

**Apparently, those who were upset about her face were mainly upset about the fact that she didn't look alien enough. Believe me, I am grateful that she looks as pretty as she does, and therefore, have no complaints about Bioware's version of her face. If you think about it, it could have been much worse. Personally, I think that three fingers, three toes, bowed-back calves, and a dextro-amino acid base are alien enough.**

**There. I'm glad to get that off of my chest.**

**By the way, this is not the last chapter. There are two more to go.**


	9. Night of conception

**Chapter 9 here is a relatively short one. It takes place on Rannoch, at Shepard and Tali's new house. This is their first night in their new home. Things will get a little steamy, as the two lovers are now ready to conceive their first child. Don't hope for too many raunchy details, because I'm not comfortable writing that yet. You might get a little boobage, but that's about it.**

Tali stood on the second floor balcony of her new house, looking over the ocean of her home world.

She and Shepard had finished dinner thirty minutes ago. With his ability to change his amino acid base, Shepard and Tali could eat the same food. She was grateful for that.

Tali heard the sliding glass door behind her open. She turned and smiled as her Human husband stepped onto the balcony with her.

"Hey there," she said.

"Hello, gorgeous," he replied, "have I ever told you that I love what you have done with your suit?"

With her immune system in working order, Tali no longer had to wear the suit, although she had grown somewhat used to it. Now that she wouldn't get sick, she did make some modifications to it.

She had removed her gloves and her sleeves, exposing her arms and hands. She had also removed her hood and golden neck-brace. She had removed several sections of the suit, exposing some of the areas on her back, and completely exposing her upper legs.

"I'd guess," Tali said, "around sixteen or seventeen times. That is, of course, excluding the two hundred times I've caught you gazing at it."

"Noted," Shepard said.

The Human groom walked up to his Quarian bride and wrapped his arms around her hips. He buried his face into her neck, causing her to release a soft moan.

Tali moved her right hand up to his face, enjoying the feeling of his skin against her hand.

"Oh," she said, "Shepard. I will never, ever get tired of this!"

"I'm glad to hear it," Shepard replied, "because I never will either."

Shepard and Tali looked out across the ocean. Their new house stood on a tall cliff.

"It's absolutely beautiful," Tali said.

"It certainly is," Shepard agreed.

"Oh, what a relief," Tali said, "for a second, I thought you were going to say that stupid "not as beautiful as you" line."

Shepard replied with a slight chuckle. "Come on, Tali, I prefer to say something clever. Whenever possible, that is."

"Damn. You beat me to it."

"You are beautiful though, don't get me wrong."

"I know," Tali said.

The two looked out over the ocean for a long time.

"This is like a dream come true," Tali said sensually.

"There is only one thing missing," Shepard said, "and I think that it's time that we do something about it."

Shepard's grip around Tali's hips tightened, and he buried his face into her neck again.

Tali's eyes widened from both a combination of physical stimulation, and surprise resulted from what her husband had just said.

"Do you mean…?"

"I mean just that."

With the Reapers lying dormant within the Boulder, and their new house complete, neither lover could see any reason to wait for it anymore. Both of them wanted it.

"What do you say, Tali? Are you ready?"

"Have you…modified your sperm yet?"

"Not yet Tali," Shepard answered, "but it can be modified in under three minutes. Just give the word, and I'll do it."

**Twenty seconds later**

Shepard landed hard on his back on the large bed, surprised at Tali's vigor.

_Damn, I didn't know she was that strong!_

Tali immediately landed on top of him, her legs on either side of his pelvis, and kissed him passionately. It was the most passionate kiss she had given him to date.

She immediately proceeded to pull his shirt off of him, exposing his muscular abdomen.

"Keelah, Shepard," Tali gasped, "I cannot believe how lucky I am!"

Tali reached behind her back and loosened the belts at the back of her suit. She pulled off the Torso section of her suit and revealed her breasts to him.

It wasn't long until both of them were completely naked, and both of them were fully aroused. Shepard now hovered over his wife.

"Tell me it's been three minutes," Tali begged.

Shepard looked at the clock on the nightstand.

"It's been eight minutes," he stated.

"Then by all means, Commander," Tali said seductively as she opened her legs, "Don't hold back!"

**Okay, I'm a little surprised about how steamy I made that one. Anywho, the next (and last) chapter will be another time skip, a few years after their first kid is born. Key word: FIRST. **


	10. Offspring

**Okay people, this is the last chapter of this story. It is another time-skip, this one taking place almost sixteen years after Tali and Shepard moved into their new house. **

**This focuses on Shepard, Tali, and their four kids, particularly their firstborn. This chapter also gives a little more information on the Irakagei.**

"Amazing," the adolescent Quarian said as she read her book, "this is just too cool!"

Neila'Zorah vas Rannoch was deeply entranced by her book about the Irakagei. For a long time, she had always wanted to meet one.

Prior to the Reaper invasion eighteen years ago, the Irakagei have remained secluded in their space, preparing for the Reapers' inevitable return. After the defeat of the Reapers almost eighteen years ago, they were still somewhat secluded. While they no longer hid from the rest of the races of the galaxy, they chose to remain largely independent. As a result, they weren't seen much outside of the Norma Pit, at least not in large numbers.

That did not mean that they completely isolated themselves from the rest of the galaxy, as they maintained good relations with many of the other races. Some races have even established trade routes with the Irakagei, allowing them to travel to the Norma pit.

"Oh," Neila said to herself, "how I want to go there!"

A small tune sounded and broke her train of thought. She turned to see the parent light in her room flashing yellow; a signal that her parents wanted to talk to her.

She calmly closed the book, set it on the bed, and got up and walked out of her bedroom.

"You too, huh sis," a familiar male voice asked as its source walked passed her.

"Yup," Neila said to her younger brother.

Pazu,Zora was the third born of her siblings. At twelve years old, he was roughly three years younger than she was.

Both of the Quarian siblings walked down the stairs to the first floor of their house. The had arrived to hind both their parents waiting for them, along with their youngest sister, Vala,Zorah. She was nine years old.

"That's three of you here," their Human father said with a smile.

As if on cue, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. They sounded slow and heavy.

A sluggish female Quarian lumbered down the stairs. She gave a big yawn as she wiped sleep from her eye with the back of her hand.

"That makes four," Tali said.

"Still sluggish, I see, huh, Minna," Neila said with a smile.

"Hmmph," the second oldest sibling grunted in response.

"So, what's up," Pazu asked his parents.

Neila turned back toward Shepard and Tali.

"Well," Tali said, "We thought that it might be a good time for a little vacation off-planet. It has been a while since our last one."

"Yeah," Vala said with great enthusiasm, "It's been forever!"

"Hmm," Minna grunted.

"Just what did you have in mind this time," Neila asked, "Sur'kesh?"

"No," Vala said, "Illium! Illium!"

"We've already been to Illium," Neila pointed out.

"Illium," Vala insisted.

"Sorry, Vala," Tali said, "but your sister's right. We've already been there."

"Aww," the young Quarian moaned in disappointment.

"So, what's it going to be," Neila asked again.

Tali and Shepard looked at each other, then back to their four kids.

"Well," Shepard said, "We've talked it over, and we agreed that you are probably old enough."

"Old enough for what," Pazu asked.

"We thought you might like to visit Alshezo," Tali said.

Neila's eyes widened with surprise. Her heart began to quicken. She could not suppress a smile.

"Alshezo," Vala asked, "Isn't that the Irakagei home planet?"

"Yes," Shepard said, "it is."

"Cool," Pazu said with excitement.

"Hmm," Minna grunted.

Neila was unable to form a sentence. She was having a hard time containing her excitement.

"Neila," Shepard said, "What do you think?"

After a few seconds, Neila charged towards her parents and embraced them both in a big hug.

"Ohhh," she exclaimed, "You guys are the best!"

"She approves," Tali said.

"I thought she would," Shepard replied.

"When do we go," Neila asked, "When do we go?"

"Next week," Shepard said, "If that's cool with all of you,"

"Next week," Tali explained, "Will be the lunar alignment festival on Alshezo. It will be the first time it has taken place since the Irakagei have come out of seclusion."

The planet Alshezo had three large moons. Every few decades, the moons would line up. The Irakagei treated this event as a holiday, celebrated among many different Irakagei cultures over thousands of years.

"We'd be among the first aliens to witness it firsthand," Shepard said.

"Yeah," Vala said.

Neila turned to face Pazu and Minna, her hands still wrapped around her parents.

"Fine by me," Pazu responded.

"Kay," Minna affirmed.

"Great," Neila shouted, "I'm going to start packing right now!"

Neila released her parents and performed a biotic dash to the stairs. She quickly charged up them, back to her room.

"Huh," Pazu grunted, "I wonder if she's excited."

"Hmm," Minna said.

"Guess I'll start packing too," Pazu said.

"Me too," Vala said.

Vala ran up the stairs, and Pazu followed, walking up slowly.

"I'm going back to sleep," Minna groaned. With that, she turned and pulled herself back up the stairs.

"Well," Tali said, "I guess we all agree."

"Guess so," Shepard replied.

"It will be good for Neila too," Tali added, "She has been fascinated by the Irakagei for a while now."

"She certainly has," Shepard agreed, "Although, I believe there is one thing she is looking forward to more than anything else."

"What's that?"

"The men," Shepard answered.

"Oh," Tali said, "I'll bet you're right there."

Since the Irakagei have come out into the open, the various races of the galaxy have discovered something unexpected about the male individuals of the eezo-based humanoids. Apparently, many women of various races find them attractive, almost irresistible. Women had an obsession with Irakagei males similar to the obsession young males held towards the Asari. Unfortunately, Irakagei men were not as simple as those of other races.

For most humanoid races, the males were taller, stronger, and more aggressive that the females of their races. In ancient survival scripts, the males of most of those races have evolved to fight and protect the women, who mostly had the role of child rearing. As the races evolved, women became more active in things once considered to be the work of men, and some men have taken to raising children.

In the Irakagei's case, however, the roles were reversed. The women were taller, and more aggressive than the males, who had evolved a powerful paternal instinct. While the women still carried, birthed, and nursed offspring, the males of the Irakagei were the ones who had the role of raising them, while the mother brought home the bacon. Like the women of other races, though, the Irakagei males have risen to be on the same level as that of the females.

Because of their evolution, Irakagei males were not as…promiscuous as those of other races. This made it somewhat difficult for alien women to flirt with them.

Not long ago, Tali had discovered an issue of Fornax hidden under Neila's mattress. It was an "Eezo Edition," featuring Irakagei. The cover had been a picture of a half-naked Irakagei man, sitting in a seductive pose.

The Eezo Editions were popular among women.

"It will certainly be an interesting trip," Shepard said.

"I know," Tali said, "I've always been curious about Alshezo ever since we first met the Irakagei."

"Me, too," Shepard said, "It will be a trip none of us will ever forget."

**And that's the end of this story. I'm thinking of making the next one be about the family's trip to Alshezo. I'm also considering writing a story that feature Neila as the protagonist. **

**I had written Mass Effect: Opposition, my second fanfic, mainly for the purpose of showing readers the home world of my Irakagei, but I'm honestly not very pleased with the job I did on it. I've been thinking of deleting it. I plan to use the vacation story as a reboot to introducing the Irakagei home world. If anyone is interested in such a story, let me know.**

**Also, the reason I gave the kids Tali's clan name was because I figured it would be a good Idea not to name them Shepard, because they might always be hounded by paparazzi or something like that. Also, given that they are Quarians, it just seemed more appropriate. I hope that that doesn't bother anyone.**


End file.
